Domestic
and international threats have generated a growing interest in the
use of less-than-lethal weapons by government and law enforcement
agencies and other entities such as commercial airlines and private
security companies. One such weapon--the Taser--is a hand-held weapon
that delivers an electric shock via two stainless steel barbs, effectively
incapacitating an individual.

According
to the manufacturer--Taser International, Incorporated (Taser International)--Tasers
are currently used by over 7,000 of the 18,000 law enforcement agencies
in the United States, with more than 140,000 Tasers in use by police
officers in the field and an additional 100,000 Tasers owned by civilians
worldwide. According to a survey of federal, state and localpolice
chiefs, county sheriffs and directors of security conducted by the
National Association of Chiefs of Police, almost 30 percent say their
officers and agents are armed with Tasers.

Tasers
have been used on over 100,000 volunteers, including individuals involved
in training seminars and research experiments, and involved in over
70,000 actual field uses during police encounters. In light of the
expanding interest in the Taser, General Accountability Office was
asked to provide information on the policies and procedures related
to the issues of "use-of-force," training, operations, and safety
for selected law enforcement agencies that have purchased and used
Tasers; and federal, state, and local laws that specifically address
Tasers, including the Transportation Security Administration's authority
to regulate Tasers on aircraft.

The
seven law enforcement agencies the GAO contacted have established
use-of-force policies, training requirements, operational protocols,
and safety procedures to help ensure the proper use of Tasers. Although
none of the agencies have separate use-of-force policies that specifically
address Tasers, all seven agencies include the use of Tasers into
their existing policies.

Taser
training is required for officers who use the weapons, and agency
officials said that training for officers and other non-law enforcement
persons who are allowed to use Tasers is critically important to help
ensure their safe use. Operational protocols require that Tasers be
visually inspected daily, appropriately safeguarded, and, in some
cases, tested weekly or at the beginning of an officer's shift.

Safety
procedures require that Tasers not be used on children, pregnant suspects,
or near bystanders or flammable liquids and that individuals hit in
specific body areas with Taser barbs, such as the neck or face, be
examined by a physician. Some federal, state, and local jurisdictions
have laws that address Tasers but requirements differ.

For
example, at the federal level, the Army prohibits Tasers from being
brought into selected military installations in Georgia. Also, TSA
may approve the use of Tasers on aircraft but must prescribe training
rules and guidance on appropriate circumstances for using Tasers.
At the state and local levels, the state of Indiana and the city of
Chicago, Illinois, regulate the sale or possession of Tasers by non-law
enforcement persons by subjecting Tasers to the same restrictions
that apply to firearms. Other states, such as California, prohibit
Tasers from being carried into public facilities such as airports.

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The
GAO observes that as the Taser becomes more widely used, especially
by non-law enforcement persons, training is critical to help ensure
its safe, effective, and appropriate use. TSA, Taser International,
and the seven law enforcement agencies contacted generally agreed
with the information in the GOA's report.

Sources:

US
General Accountability Office,
National Association of Chiefs of Police,
American Federation of Police & Concerned Citizens,
National Security Institute

Jim Kouri, CPP
is currently fifth vice-president of the National Association of Chiefs
of Police. He's former chief at a New York City housing project in Washington
Heights nicknamed "Crack City" by reporters covering the drug war in the
1980s. He's also served on the National Drug Task Force and trained police
and security officers throughout the country.

He writes for
many police and crime magazines including Chief of Police, Police Times,
The Narc Officer, Campus Law Enforcement Journal, and others. He's appeared
as on-air commentator for over 100 TV and radio news and talk shows including
Oprah, McLaughlin Report, CNN Headline News, MTV, Fox News, etc. His book
Assume The Position is available at Amazon.Com, Booksamillion.com, and
can be ordered at local bookstores.